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Beyonce 'ready for another baby'

The husband-and-wife power couple of have big plans for 2014, and a baby is rumoured to be one of them.

They are already parents to Blue Ivy, who turns two on January 7.

Sources say the shock release of 32-year-old Beyonce's self-titled new album, which hit the shelves with no promotion or publicity last month, was all to do with Jay Z's wanting a new arrival.

'The initial plan was for Beyonce's album to drop in the New Year, But Jay Z wants next year to be all about baby making. The plan is to start trying just before Beyonce's world tour ends in Lisbon,' a source close to the couple told British magazine Heat.

Sources have also disclosed that 44-year-old Jay is desperate for a second child to arrive on his birthday.

He's said to be keen for the new member of their family to be linked to the number four.

'Jay thinks four is their lucky number. He loves that the number runs through their lives. He wants their second baby to be conceived when he's 44.

'They think it'd be a good omen if their baby shared Jay's birthday [December 4] and they've even discussed arranging a C-section, if the timing's right,' the insider continued.

While the couple saw in the New Year with big plans, Beyonce is dealing with heavy criticism over one of her new tracks.

The song XO samples audio from the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster in 1986, where seven space crew members were killed after the NASA craft exploded after take-off.

In a statement to ABC News, Beyonce said the song was recorded "with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you.

"The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten."